Pendants and Prayers - Global Learning Partners

Pendants and Prayers:
The Spiritual, Cultural, and Historical Significance
of Beads
Toronto First CRC
2015 Women’s Retreat
October 23 to 25 @ Five Oaks Retreat Centre in Paris, Ontario
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Beads become prayer beads when making and using them is part of a meditation practice. If they are
used as such, they remain prayer beads. If not, they’re simply jewellery. But once you use them as prayer
beads, you’ll always remember that when you touch the beads. In that moment, we can feel our feet on
the floor and our grounding on the earth. If we continually bring small moments of silence into the lives
we lead and stay in the present moment, our opportunities to notice spiritual connections will grow.
Soon we will be able to sit with a cup of tea and really be present as we drink it. Soon our entire lives are
a prayer.
(from A String and A Prayer by E. Wiley & M. Oman Shannon, p 70)
To use beads with a prayer, Indian or Moslem or Christian, is to enflesh the words, make thought
tangible.
(from The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L'Engle)
Making and using prayer beads is a practice as old as time itself, a nearly universal practice. Using prayer
beads is also intensely personal. While choosing our beads and talismans and infusing them with our
own associations, we keep our connection to the spiritual fresh and meaningful.
(from A String and A Prayer by E. Wiley & M. Oman Shannon, back cover)
I have learned that there can be a whole universe in one bead. Colors, textures and relationships
between beads can tell a lifetime of memories. They are spiritual.
(by Nan, USA)
I learned that you should feel when writing, not like Lord Byron on a mountaintop, but like a child
stringing beads in kindergarten - happy, absorbed and quietly putting one bead after another.
(from If you want to Write by Brenda Ueland)
The beads help us to cut through the superficial and get right down to the most personal and meaningful
aspects of our lives. … And the beads transcend religions, which is what makes them so exciting.
(from A String and A Prayer by E. Wiley & M. Oman Shannon, xviii)
When we are still, we can perceive things as they are
When we are still - when the mind is still,
when we are not making things crazy –
there is clarity.
(by Thich Nhat Hanh)
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Our Agenda
FRIDAY
8:00-8:30
Arrival, settling in, and hot cider
Building
8:30-9:30
Introduction, overview and getting to know each other
Main Room
9:30-10:00
Starting our journey with beads: A reflection on history
Main Room
10:00-
Chat, connect, and chill
Building
SATURDAY
8:00-9:00
Breakfast
Dining Room
9:00-9:30
A light hike
Outside
9:30-11:30
Continuing our journey with beads: Prayer beads in my life
Main Room
11:30-12:30
Talking stick: Sharing our stories
Main Room
12:30-1:30
Lunch
1:30-3:30
Making personal prayer beads
3:30-5:30
Free time
5:30-6:30
Dinner
Dining Room
7:00-8:00
Free time
Main Room
8:00-10:00
Film
Main Room
10:00-
Chat, connect, and chill
Main Room
Craft Room
SUNDAY
8:00-9:00
Breakfast
Dining Room
9:00-10:00
Room clean up and packing
Building, Outside
10:00-11:30
Worship
Main Room
11:30-12:30
Looking back, looking forward
Main Room
12:30-1:30
Lunch
Dining Room
1:30-
Good-byes
Building
NOTE: All items on this agenda are optional – a rich program has been designed for you, and if you
prefer to be on you own and/or do other things, you are also free to do so. This weekend is meant to be
relaxing, refreshing, and reenergizing. Only you can decide what this means for you.
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Table of Contents
Quotations
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Agenda
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Table of Contents
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Beads of My Life, a poem by Wilma Guzman
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Friday Evening
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Saturday Morning
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Saturday Afternoon
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Saturday Evening
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Sunday Morning
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Appendix
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Station #1 – Your Own Practice
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Station #2 – Making Prayer Beads for Others
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Station #3 – Making Prayer Beads for Communities
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Station #4 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Colour and Shapes
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Station #5 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Stones and Other Materials
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Station #6 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Amulets, Charms and Numbers
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Prayers for Using Prayer Beads
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Resources
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Recipe for Rose Beads
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Credits
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Beads of My Life
A connection I feel to my jewellery
necklaces of beads, pendants that remind
of other people, places and times.
The tree pendant from a Young People's Convention:
as I wear it
the Tree Song's refrain sticks with me:
I've got roots growing down to the water
I've got leaves growing up to the sunshine
and the fruit I bear is a sign of life in me.
The silver Dutch guilder,
now a pendant made
after years of burial during wartime days
forgotten by my grandfather until prior to his dying breaths,
the connection to my roots,
my mother and her family's struggles
and what they survived.
The crystal necklace bought in Port Stanley with my sister
the variety of colours and light flowing through,
then a dreamcatcher pendant
a gift from my visiting Dutch cousin
for spending the day with her at Crawford Lake.
My beads and pendants add more than colourful expression;
they add a focus for memories and prayers to be revisited.
A recent acquisition - a necklace with scrabble letters
of my children’s names,
are reminders to keep them daily in my prayers.
- Wilma Guzman, First CRC Toronto
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FRIDAY
Arrival, settling in, and enjoying hot apple cider.
Welcome and Overview
Getting to Know Each Other through Our Beads
Stand up and meet/greet someone you don’t know or don’t know well. Share the beads or beaded
object you brought with you and its meaning for you.
Do this 2 or 3 times, milling about the room “cocktail-party style” – feel free to walk around with a drink
in hand.
As a group, let’s hear who is in the room and who we will share this weekend with.
Evening Litany
One:
The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to
them, “Come away to a deserted place by your selves and rest awhile.” For many were coming
and going and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted
place by themselves. (Mark 6: 30-32)
One:
Come, Lord Jesus
You too were tired
When day was done,
You met your friends at evening time.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Come Lord Jesus,
You too enjoyed
When nights drew on:
You told your talks at close of day.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus,
You kindled faith
When lamps were low:
You opened scriptures,
Broke the bread,
And shed your light
As darkness fell.
Come, Lord Jesus. Meet us here.
Let us pray:
Here in the company
Of the neighbour whom we know
And the stranger in our midst,
And the self from whom we turn,
We ask to love as Jesus loved.
Make this place and time good, Lord. Amen.
All:
One:
All:
One:
All:
One:
SONGS
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-silenceReflection
[It is important] to be reminded to appreciate all that is going on around us and inside of us, to be in
touch with other people and ourselves, to be mindful of God.
To live so deeply is a special challenge, for it is so easy to be superficial. We are so busy! We have so
many urgent things to do, so many people to meet, so many books to read, so many events to attend.
Perhaps we need to flop into a chair more often – before we are exhausted. We need more leisure time
to touch those inner dimensions of our lives, to ask some fundamental questions, or just to be.
Leisure is not the inevitable result of spare time, a holiday, a weekend or a vacation. It is, in the first
place, an attitude of mind, a condition of the soul… . Leisure implies… an attitude of non-activity, of
inward calm, of silence, it means not being “busy”, but letting things happen.
Leisure is a form of silence, of that silence which is the prerequisite of the apprehension of reality; only
the silent hear and those who do not remain silent do not hear. Silence, as it is used in this context, does
not mean “dumbness” or “noiselessness”; it means more nearly that the soul’s power to “answer” to
the reality of the world is left undisturbed. For leisure is a receptive attitude of mind, a contemplative
attitude, and it is not only the occasion but also the capacity for steeping oneself in the whole of
creation.
Such an attitude pits us against compulsive busyness, against drivenness. It leads toward solitude and
contemplation – toward creating an inner receptivity, a space where we can hear our deepest longings,
realize what life is about, and penetrate into reality. It can mean making a space for God. It is prayer.
(from Space for God by Don Postma)
Act of Blessing:
While singing listed below each woman in the circle is invited to dip her finger in the lavender oil
(properties are calming, soothing, and relaxing) and anoint the forehead of the next woman in the circle,
saying:
“[Name] blessed are you among women. Be still and know that you are with God.”
SONG: Be still and know that I am God;
Be still and know that I am God,
Be still and know that I am God. (x4)
One:
All:
One:
All:
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Come visit us Lord, this night, so that by your strength we may rise at daybreak to dance in the
joy of your salvation and be moved by the power of your resurrection. The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
In peace we will lie down and sleep. For you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.
May the holiness of God’s Spirit, who dwells within us, make each of us, and all of us together,
a fit temple and a holy city for Her habitation. Amen.
A Brief Pause
Take a break and then we will regroup for our evening presentation. Your journey with beads is soon to
begin.
Starting Our Journey with Beads: A Reflection on History
Enjoy the Prezi presentation created for you in words and visuals on the history of beads. As you watch,
we invite you to consider the following questions:
1. What new meaning do you see offered here that helps explain happenings, objects, practices, or
people in your life today?
2. What questions does this raise for you? What are you curious about?
http://www.prayerbedes.com/
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SATURDAY
A Light Hike
Come join us for a light morning hike or enjoy a long breakfast with friends.
Welcome and Overview of the Day
SONGS
Continuing Our Journey with Beads: Prayer Beads and Me
By integrating significant symbols of our life into our prayer beads, we create an adornment that will
continually ground us in the present moment, making our entire life sacred. As we explored last night in
the PowerPoint presentation about beads, it can be extremely powerful to incorporate beads, talismans,
amulets, and other objects from one’s own life – as well as diverse spiritual symbols – into our prayer
beads to give them meaning.
One man in a prayer beads workshop made prayer beads using a cross that was his father’s from World
War II, as well as some beads from an old rosary he had as a child. A woman incorporated a rock she had
found on the beach that looked like a skull. With a wire wrap around it, she was able to add it to her
prayer-bead strand.
As these examples suggest, beads become powerful and metaphoric containers for our experiences in
life. Mixing textures (rough and smooth beads together) commemorates the challenging and the easier
passages of our experience. Using spacers between the beads can mark the times when we feel there’s
not much happening. Those times are sacred, too. Similarly, it is important to pay attention to the
characteristics that make us who we are – to know ourselves in our fullness – in order to grow
comfortable with ourselves. By weaving the elements of our lives into prayer beads, we can begin to
contemplate the multiple meanings of those elements. As we come to understand each separate
influence by working our beads, we see how powerfully
prayer can change our lives.
One striking illustration of this transformation is the strand
of prayer beads that a woman made for her mother to
honour the lives of her two dead sisters. Using elements
representative of each sister, the daughter made prayer
beads for her mother that celebrated her lost daughters’
memories. The mother wears them every day, keeping all
three of her daughters close to her in prayer.
In making prayer beads, we carry the contemplative act of
making them into daily life. We must do the work,
however. Putting them on and wearing them won’t change
us. But the beads will assure us that the power is inside
ourselves. If we are truly engaged in a spiritual practice –
being present to what we are doing – we will understand
that there are no mistakes, and that the experience is
more important than the outcome. Seeing things as they
are, rather than how we imagine them to be will breathe
change into our way of being in the world.
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Working with prayer beads allows us to converse about spirituality. As we become more willing to share
stories of ancestors, beliefs and ourselves, we also learn how to invite others into our lives. The
possibilities for connection are endless. After one prayer-bead workshop one of the students wrote,
“Well, I don’t really know you, but I just want to say that I think that what you do is great. I’m not really
a religious person, but actually I believe in something. One day, I guess, I’ll find out what.” Even in the
places of not-knowing, we can find comfort and meaning in prayer beads.
Each of us has the power to make ourselves and our tools sacred. Too often we give our power away
and say, “I have to read the book that the authority wrote.” But you are the only authority of your own
experience, and that’s our fondest hope: that people come to see that their relationship to the
Divine/God/Creator is the real authority in their lives.
Beads become prayer beads when making and using them is part of a meditation practice. If they are
used as such, they remain prayer beads. If not, they’re simply jewellery. But once you use them as
prayer beads, you’ll always remember that when you touch the beads. In that moment, we can feel our
feet on the floor and our grounding on the earth. If we continually bring small moments of silence into
the lives we lead and stay in the present moment, our opportunities to notice spiritual connections will
grow. Soon we will be able to sit with a cup of tea and really be present as we drink it. Soon our entire
lives are a prayer.
Many people still think that meditation means sitting in a lotus position for twenty minutes with a quiet
mind, but that’s only one way to begin a meditation process. In meditation and contemplation, you
bring yourself into the present moment as often as possible. You live life as it is happening, rather than
let yourself get caught up in the past or the future. Many people designate a specific space for prayer, in
which they learn how to make themselves present inside various activities, such as walking. You cannot
ski down a hill if you are not paying attention to where your feet are and where you are going. Find your
own way of contacting stillness; learn to embrace that feeling of being grounded and transfer it into
other areas of your life.
A dramatic example of this involves a woman we know who converted to Catholicism but had never
been exposed to the rosary. She was introduced to prayer beads after a car accident with her husband
and five children. The car was hit head-on, and when she came to, her husband was gasping for breath
and her children were covered with blood. She found herself reciting the “Our Father” over and over –
she didn’t know what else to do – and when she arrived the hospital, a priest gave them all last rites.
Someone handed her a rosary and she ended up holding it for days, running her fingers over the beads
and using the “Hail Mary” as a mantra or prayer. All of them survived in spite of their severe injuries.
When people in the hospital commented on her visible calm during the horrifying ordeal, she said that
the beads gave her peace and grounded her.
In his book, Praying by Hand, M. Basil Pennington explores the way prayer beads make spiritual
practices tangible.
Fingering beads often helps our concentration. This is one of their greater benefits. While they
occupy and integrate our external senses into our prayer, our mind is left freer to attend to its
own level of reality. There are mysteries to be pondered and experiences to be had, moments of
enlightenment and touches of the divine, while the beads and their accompanying formulas
keep the lower faculties occupied. Even when the rational mind is occupied in conversation or
some other simple task, beads can support the spirit in its course of prayer. Deliberately holding
the beads can in itself be the prayer, especially when the mind seems unable to formulate any
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meaningful thoughts. The chain of beads can reach far beyond itself, bonding us with a higher
power - with heaven itself. (p. 4)
There are so many ways in which you can use your prayer beads for present moment practice. What we
offer below are only suggestions. We hope you will enjoy exploring the many ways in which the beads
may assist you in discovering your own personal prayers.
In the large group:
•
What was especially important or helpful here for you?
Learning through Six Stations
A.
In equal groups, go to one of the six stations around the room. Together with your group, read the
information about your station at the back of your retreat booklet. (Note: You are all starting at a
different station, so you may not be at #1.) Then, discuss the questions offered to you, sharing your
thoughts, questions, ideas, and wonderings – this is a time to explore, discover, and learn from
each other.
You will be at each station for 12 minutes and will be signaled when it is time to move to the next
station. We have a little over an hour to journey through ways to use personal prayer beads in our
lives.
B. Now on your own, take 10 minutes to consider all you have learned. If you were to make a prayer
bead today (and many of you will),
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What sort would you make?
How many beads do you think you would need?
What role would size, colour, and texture play?
Who would it be for?
When could you use it?
If it is for you, how would you use it? If it is for someone else, how would you give it or invite
them to use it?
What else is important to note about this prayer piece?
Write your notes below or on a separate sheet of paper.
Take a few minutes to share your plans with your group.
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Talking stick: Sharing our stories
Join us in a talking circle to share more of our selves. We will all be invited to respond to the question:
•
What people have been important in your life this year? How have they nourished you or you
nourished them? How might prayer beads fit in this relationship or others?
This is a sacred space and you are asked to listen and speak from your heart. All that is shared stays with
those in the room. All say what needs to be said – no less, no more. There are no expectations, and all
will be accepted.
Prayer
All:
God of Our Hope,
We hold these stories
With gentle hands:
Knowing their joy,
Learning their loss,
Retuning to them again and again
To seek mending and meaning.
We share these stories
With full hearts:
Revealing their treasures,
Confessing their ache,
Hopeful that this keeping of memory
Will bring peace again.
Amen.
http://www.prayerbedes.com/
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LUNCH
Making Personal Prayer Beads
Come join us in making prayer beads! This is where our learning comes to life.
Free Time
This is time for you to do whatever you wish: relax, go for a walk, read a book, spend time with friends,
take a nap, knit, or whatever feels right.
DINNER
Chat, Connect, and Chill
Bring your snacks and drinks, and come enjoy a film. We will select a film from this list:
•
•
•
•
•
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The Girl with the Pearl Earring (2003) – jewelry
The Great Gatsby (2013) – beaded jewelry
Harold and Maude (1971) – beaded doorway
Octpob (2006, Russian film “The Island”) – prayer beads; prayer
Black Narcissus (1947) – prayer beads
SUNDAY
Welcome and Overview
Worship
In this service we will use devotions written for
Protestant prayer beads. You have all been given a
piece.
Protestant prayer beads are made up of a cross or
other pendant and thirty-three or more beads. One
large bead, called the “invitatory” bead, reminds us
that God invites us to a time of prayer. We use this
bead to begin our prayer, much like churches
employ a call to worship to begin a church service.
In addition to the large invitatory bead, we find four
more large beads. When we splay out a set of
protestant prayer beads, these beads form the four
points of a cross and thus are called “cruciform”
beads. Beyond representing the points of the cross,
the number 4 reminds us of the four Gospels, the
four season of the year, the four parts of our day
(morning, afternoon, evening, and night), and the
four directions (north, south, east, and west).
Between each of the cruciform beads is a set of
seven smaller beads. Because a week has seven days, these beads are called “week” beads. Like the
number 4, the number 7 has bountiful meaning for Christians:
• The church calendar consists of seven seasons (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter,
Pentecost, and Ordinary Time)
• Genesis tells us there were seven days of creation; on the seventh day God rested, calling us
to keep it holy
• The number 7 shows up often in the book of Revelation, including John’s note that his letter is
addressed to the “seven churches”
• Both Jews and Christians believe the number 7 symbolizes spiritual perfection.
When we add together the one invitatory bead, the four cruciform beads, and the twenty-eight week
beads, we get a total of thirty-three beads. The group that developed this format appreciated this
number since it represented Jesus’ life on earth for thirty-three years.
Like the rosary, Protestant prayer beads offer various benefits to prayer: They enhance focus, offer a
way of being still, and serve as a sign of God’s presence. But whereas the rosary has a formula for
prayers to be said with each bead, Protestant prayer beads do not. This means you can use them in
any way that feels comfortable to you and even experiment with different ways of using them,
depending upon your need at the time. Consider this a wonderful opportunity to explore new ways of
being with God.
We have made each of you a prayer bead for this service. These are for you to use today and to keep for
future use. Please take one from the centre of the circle now.
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One:
All:
One:
From the fragmented world of our everyday lives,
We gather together in search of wholeness;
By many cares and preoccupations,
By diverse and separate aims,
We are divided within ourselves.
Yet we know that no branch is utterly severed
From the Tree of Life, which sustains us all.
Eternal God.
We say good morning to you.
You who sustains us.
Early in the morning, before we begin our work
We praise your glory.
Renew our bodies as fresh as the morning flowers.
Open our inner eyes, as the sun casts new light upon the darkness
Which prevailed over the night.
Deliver us from all captivity and let us dance in your grace.
Give us wings of freedom like the birds in the sky
To begin a new journey.
We thank you for the gifts of this morning,
And a new day to work with you.
SONG: “How Great Is Our God”
Praising the God of Creation
One A: When I look up at your skies, at what your fingers made – the moon and the stars that you set
firmly in place – what are human beings that you think about them; what are human beings that
you pay attention to them? (Psalm 8:3-4)
One B: Psalm 8 celebrates the place of human beings within all creation. The psalmist expresses wonder
and amazement at the majesty and vastness of creation. Then he marvels at the unique
relationship God holds with humans among the cosmos. The devotion uses the word “Lord” to
address God. The meditation invites us to consider the psalmist’s question, “What are human
beings that you pay attention to them?” Use the meditation as a way of listening for God’s
answer.
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Devotion
Cross: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit;
Invitatory bead: as it was in the beginning, is now, and
ever shall be,
Resurrection bead: world without end. Amen.
1st cruciform bead: Lord, you set lights in the heavens for
the day and the night.
Week beads, set 1: (In silence, use each bead to express
awe for the sun and moon, the planets and stars, and
all above the earth.)
nd
2 cruciform bead: Lord, you created the earth and filled
it with living things.
Week beads, set 2: (In silence, use each bead to express a
sense of wonder for all living things.)
3rd cruciform bead: Creator God, you have formed
humans out of the dust of the earth.
Week beads, set 3: (In silence, use each bead to express
wonder at the human body as a creation.)
th
4 cruciform bead: You have created me to be in
relationship with you.
Week beads, set 4: (In silence, use each bead to praise
God for the different ways you can relate to God in the midst of creation.
Resurrection bead: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
Invitatory bead: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
Cross: world without end. Amen.
Meditation
With each bead: “What am I?” (5 minutes silent meditation)
SONG: “Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer”
Prayers of Thanksgiving
One A: Everything that has been created by God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving
should be rejected. (I Timothy 4:4)
One B: Signs of God’s power and majesty surround us. The mountains and oceans, the flowers and
trees, the animals large and small – all reflect God’s creativity and grace. Yet in the midst of our
busy lives it is easy to take creation for granted. We take too little time to stop and enjoy the
beautiful world God created for our enjoyment. This devotion offers a moment to look around,
see the beauty, and offer thanksgiving. The meditation helps us bask in thanksgiving for all God’s
gifts.
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Devotion
Cross: God of the stars and the sky,
Invitatory bead: God of the ant and the elephant, the
flowers and the rain,
Resurrection bead: you are everywhere and in all things.
1st cruciform bead: I thank you for all you have created.
Week beads, set 1: (In silence, use each bead to thank God
for creation.
nd
2 cruciform bead: I recognize your joy and love for me in
all you created.
Week beads, set 2: (In silence, use each bead to recognize
God’s expression of love for you in creation.)
3rd cruciform bead: I receive your goodness in the women
in my life, and the women here this weekend.
Week beads, set 3: (In silence, use each bead to remember
women around you today and in your life.)
th
4 cruciform bead: I remember the love I have received
this weekend and the love I know I can give to those in
my life.
Week beads, set 4: (In silence, use each bead to name
those you have received love from and can give love
to.)
Resurrection bead: Stars, sun, grass, lake, man and woman,
Invitatory bead: you reveal God’s majesty and love.
Cross: Thanks be to God.
Meditation
With each bead: “Thank you for your gifts.” (5 minutes silent meditation)
SONG: “Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer”
Sharing the Bread and Wine
One A: Although within us there are wounds,
God, above all there is
The miracle of your mysterious presence.
Thus, made lighter or even set free,
We are going with you, the Christ,
From one discovery to another.
As the bread that was scattered on the hillside
Was gathered together and made one,
So we too, your people, scattered throughout the world,
Scattered in our own lives, gather together
Around this table and become one.
(taking and breaking the bread)
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Jesus taught that bread was meant to be shared,
And that all are welcome at God’s table.
Jesus asked to be remembered in the sharing of the bread.
One B: (holding the cup of wine)
Grapes grown in the field are gathered together
And pressed into wine. So we, too, are drawn together
And pressed by our times and our trials to share a common lot.
And we are transformed in your life-blood for all.
Jesus taught that all of life is woven together,
And that love is why we’re here.
Jesus asked to be remembered in the sharing of the cup.
One A:
One B:
One A:
One B:
So take this bread.
And this wine.
In them God comes to us
So that we many come to God.
All:
In this sharing
In this welcoming,
In this remembering,
We celebrate the gift of God.
(sharing of the bread and wine)
SONG: (repeated while the bread and wine are passed around)
Eat this bread,
Drink this cup;
Come to me and never be hungry.
Eat this bread,
Drink this cup;
Trust in me and you will not thirst.
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Closing
Cross: In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Invitatory bead: Gracious God,
Resurrection bead: Who loved us enough to reveal
yourself through your Son,
st
1 cruciform bead: We thank you for what we have
learned this weekend about you.
Week beads, set 1: (In silence, use each bead to lift up
any insights you have received from this weekend’s
liturgy and prayer.)
nd
2 cruciform bead: We thank you for revealing new
ways of praying through the prayer bead experience.
Week beads, set 2: (In silence, use each bead to give
thanks for any new ways of praying you have
received from the prayer bead experiences.)
rd
3 cruciform bead: We ask that you guide us in the
weeks and months and year to come as we continue
to see ways of being with you.
Week beads, set 3: (In silence, use each bead to ask for
guidance and insight as you move from here back
into your life.)
th
4 cruciform bead: Finally, Lord, we ask that you be with each of us as we go through the next year?
and bring us together again at our next Women’s Retreat.
Week beads, set 4: (In silence, use each bead to pray for each member of the group.)
Resurrection bead: In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died so that we might live,
Invitatory bead: we pray.
Cross: Amen.
SONG: “Oh Lord, Hear My Prayer”
Pass the Peace
While the music is playing please stand and share the peace with all those around you. Give a hug and
say: “God’s peace by with you.”
20
Looking Back, Looking Forward
A
Sadly our weekend is almost ended and it is time to reflect back and imagine next year. Take 10
minutes or so to complete a feedback form given to you. This will greatly help the organizing
team next year.
B
To close our weekend, we will have a final talking circle using a beaded talking piece. In your
heart sharing, consider the following question:
•
What was especially important for you to hear, see, learning, experience, do, or reflect on
this weekend?
LUNCH
It’s time to say good-bye.
21
Appendix
STATION #1 – Your Own Practice
Beginning a New Day
Each morning when you wake, reach for your
prayer beads, let the texture awake your
fingers, and allow this vitality to permeate your
entire body. Now you are ready to set your
intentions for the day. These can include
anything you would like to emphasize during
your day: listening to people more carefully,
telling the truth, being grateful for small things.
Later, as you make your way through your day,
touching the beads will return you to your initial
intentions.
Walking in the Present Moment
As you move from one place to another during
the day, use these moments as a time to
acknowledge the transition between tasks. Bring
your beads into the palm of your hand, and as
you feel their texture, let that be a reminder to
feel your feet on the floor and take a breath –
feeling both the inhalation and exhalation.
Focus your mind on the physical activities of
walking and breathing. Bring yourself into the
present, and this focus will slow down the pace
of your mind and heart.
Grounding Practice
During important conversations or even thinking
about things by ourselves, we can find ourselves getting caught up in “what was” and “what if”. You can
use your beads to ground you when you find yourself worrying about the past or the future. When
things get difficult, take up your beads and allow their pleasing weight to bring you into the present
moment. You will then be able to see more clearly into the current situation. By remaining grounded in
the present, you will be more open to listening and accepting life as it is, rather than as you wish it to be.
Ending the Day
When you are in bed and ready for sleep, pick up your beads and let their texture resonate in your body.
As you rediscover each bead passing through your fingers, let yourself feel grateful for your day. It’s also
important to recognize that pain we might have caused or experienced. By acknowledging the truth of
who we are, we can change and grow. As you approach sleep, breathe in and out with an awareness of
your body. As you breathe in, focus on your toes, and on the exhalation, relax them. Continue breathing
and moving up your entire body until you reach the top of your head. It’s perfectly okay to fall asleep
while you are traveling.
22
Special Passages
It can be very meaningful to make a strand of prayer beads to commemorate special passages in our
lives. For instance, you might want to make a strand of prayer beads to honour a journey that was
important to you, using beads and symbols native to the area you traveled in and incorporating colours
that remind you of that place. If you’re a woman just beginning or ending menstruation, or if you’ve
received a degree, launched a new business, or made any kind of big life change, you can honour it with
prayer beads symbolic of this personal passage to help you carry your intentions for it forward.
Battling Addictions
Addictions come in many forms, but usually two things are involved when engaged in them: a certain
amount of time, and your hands. Whether you’re trying to quit smoking, stop drinking, spend less, or eat
more mindfully, creating prayer beads as a symbol of your intention can be a powerful aid. And one of
the benefits is immediate: you can’t engage in an addiction and make or use prayer beads at the same
time!
Your prayer piece could help you visualize freedom from your addiction. For instance, someone who is
trying to quit smoking might make a bracelet or handheld piece out of pink beads to represent clear lung
tissue. A compulsive shopper might want to craft something out of gold-toned beads or coins to
represent abundance already at hand. You might use alphabet beads to spell out an affirmation, or a
charm that symbolized freedom. Pick whatever elements speak most strongly and clearly to your desire
to be free from your addiction. Keep your piece with you at all times and let it be a companion and
comfort as you begin your recovery.
Celebrating Achievement
Creating prayer beads that honour achievements can acknowledge the obstacles that you’ve conquered
through faith, as well as give you a wonderful incentive to keep persevering toward a long-term goal.
You can add beads to a prayer piece when you accomplish parts of a big task, which can look impossible
in its totality. Trying to lose weight? You could add a progress bead to a string for every five pounds lost.
Finally decided to write that novel? You could add a bead for every chapter you finish. When you’ve
completed your goals, your prayer beads will testify to taking it “one day at a time” – and will be great
encouragement as you pursue the next dream on your list!
******
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
1. What is especially helpful or interesting to you here?
2. How does this enrich your thinking or understanding of the use of beads in your spiritual
practices?
3. What ideas are coming to you now about using beads in this way in your own life?
4. What questions or concerns come to mind for you? What excites you?
Notes:
23
STATION #2 – Making Prayer Beads for Others
We can incorporate our prayers for someone into a piece with beads consciously chosen for him/her
while we work. When we make prayer beads for someone far away, we are giving her the gift of our
touch each time she fingers the beads.
Healing
You may choose to make a set of prayer beads for someone injured or ill. As you put each bead on the
string, offer your prayer for his healing. Presenting the beads is an opportunity to share your gift of
prayer with another. She can either use the beads for prayer, or just be in the presence of your prayers.
Maggie made a prayer-bead bracelet for a dear friend facing surgery on her leg. She used blue and green
stones to promote healing, added amulets with particular meaning to her friend, and included a
Mexican healing charm called a milagro, in the shape of a leg. Her friend was moved to tears by the gift
of the bracelet, knowing that it tangibly represented Maggie’s love and prayers for her.
Maggie made a longer piece – one that could be worn around the neck as well as around the wrist or
held in the hand – for a friend battling breast cancer. Because her friend had mentioned how important
Kuan Yin was to her, Maggie included an enameled representation of that Chinese goddess of
compassion as the centrepiece of the necklace.
Leave-Taking
When a friend from Australia was leaving the United States after completing her graduate work, Debra –
a Northern California health educator – was extremely sad and wanted to do something to honour their
friendship. Her friend gave her a bead – and that gave Debra, who had never done a beading before, an
idea. “I started a necklace with that bead, and every time I missed her, I bought another bead and added
it to the necklace,” Debra remembers. “It was a way to embody the loss and create something beautiful
from it.” Since that time, Debra has
continued to make prayer beads, using
the same format she intuitively created
for her very first necklace: beads that can
be worn as a double strand, or as a long
single strand. She continues to wear her
first bead creation, which remains deeply
significant to her: “I love wearing it
because it really does bring my friend’s
presence so close to my heart.”
Memorializing a Life
Another form of leave-taking is through
death. When her beloved cat, Luna, was
dying, Maggie made a strand of prayer
beads for Luna that she knew would also
serve to honour her pet’s memory. Maggie chose colours that were found in Luna’s fur coat – black,
brown, cream – and added beads and charms that represented not only Luna’s appearance, but also her
spirit. The centre piece is a tiger’s-eye moon. When she is not wearing it, Maggie keeps the strand
draped over Luna’s picture and cherishes the memory of Luna’s last night alive, when her precious kitty
sat beside her on a blanket covering the couch, watching Maggie as she strung those beads.
24
Babies
For people about to enter the joyful and challenging world of parenthood, either through pregnancy or
adoption, prayer beads can facilitate a wonderful present-moment practice during the long waiting
period before the child arrives. Prayer beads can be made for the child during a baby shower; ask every
guest to bring a bead that represents his or her hopes for the new arrival.
Those in Need of Housing
When Eleanor heard that Maggie and her husband had suddenly been given notice to move out of their
rented house, she made a small handheld piece that included a red glass heart bead and two silver
charms, a small house and a key, and sent it to Maggie with a card. Since Maggie was looking to find a
place to live in the crowded and expensive San Francisco housing market, Eleanor knew that many
emotions attended the housing search. “I couldn’t change the situation,” Eleanor says, “but I could let
her know that my prayers were with her in a tangible way.” Maggie looped the piece around her wrist
and wore it every day, finding it very soothing when going through the stressful process of attending
open houses and writing offers. Today, it hangs commemoratively in the hallway of the house that she
and her husband ultimately bought.
Those Who Are Lonely
Mildred is a ninety-five-year-old woman living in an assisted-living facility. When Eleanor asked her what
she missed most, her answer was swift: “My family.” Eleanor asked her if she would like family prayer
beads, a reminder she could hold in her hands to say a quick prayer when she felt lonely for them. “Oh,
yes!” was her reply. Eleanor sat
with her and asked her to name
all the people she would like to
remember. Mildred not only
named immediate family, but
also friends who had adopted
her as a mother figure, as well as
her husband, who had died
many years before. As Eleanor
chose the beads for each
member of Mildred’s circle of
loved ones, she added a prayer
for them. Since Mildred’s vision
was failing, Eleanor chose large,
brightly coloured beads that
Mildred could both see well and
feel. Each one was distinct and
distinguishable just by the
texture.
As Mildred’s story illustrates, it
is important to keep the special
needs and concerns of others in mind when making prayer beads for them. And, of course, the most
meaningful element you can include in the prayer beads that you make for others is your own prayer for
their happiness and well-being.
25
******
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
1. What is especially helpful or interesting to you here?
2. How does this enrich your thinking or understanding of the use of beads in your spiritual
practices?
3. What ideas are coming to you now about using beads in this way in your own life?
4. What questions or concerns come to mind for you? What excites you?
Notes:
26
STATION #3 – Making Prayer Beads for Communities
Whether you make prayer beads in community with others or for a community of others, they can
represent particular prayer concerns – such as women around the world, animals, or the environment.
Find representations of those beings or that issue for which you are praying, and incorporate those
symbols into your prayer beads. As with the prayer beads for special passages, these strands hold a
more specifically focused intention. When using them, you become mindful not only of the present
moment, but of your interconnectedness in the great web of life.
Caregivers
Often residents who live in long-term care or rehabilitation facilities want to recognize the staff on
special occasions, but they don’t know how to do this without the opportunity, the money, and the
mobility. A creative way around these limitations is to ask each resident for old beads or for a medallion
or charm that can be donated to a community Gratitude Bowl. When a staff member has a birthday,
baby, or other special passage, the residents can string together a strand of beads that represents the
entire community. All residents become part of the gift of gratitude, and staff members get the
acknowledgement they deserve. Each resident can add whatever prayers feel called for as the group
puts the beads together. Residents can tell stories about where the beads or charms came from, and
family members can contribute their own elements when they come to visit.
Families
Eleanor made a prayer-bead piece to remind her to pray for her family (see image to right). On it, she
included a Sacred Wheel of Peace that she designed with her ex-husband, because of how it symbolized
reconciliation and working together. Explains Eleanor, “My family is very far apart. As a society we’re so
used to that, that I wonder if we even realize how distant we can be from each other. So I decided to
make prayer beads for my family to help me remember to pray for them every morning and night.”
Eleanor has a big family, so she cut her string 24 inches long, then folded it in half. She placed her Sacred
Prayer Wheel on a loop at the end of the strand, and left two strands hanging down – one representing
the men in her
family and one
representing the
women, all of
whom now
range in age
from sixty-five to
eighty-one.
Eleanor chose
the colour blue
for the female
side and green
for the male
side, stringing
different beads
and textures for
each person.
Eleanor
27
represented her father on the end of the male strand with yellow, and her mother on the female side
with red. “I take them with me to pray,” Eleanor says. “They go many places with me now.”
Teachers
Making peace beads with her granddaughter’s second-grade class, Eleanor noticed the children listening
carefully as she talked about the Sacred Wheel and its symbols of various faith traditions. Each of the
children identified the symbol that was part of his or her heritage. Like a little United Nations, all wanted
to share their cultures and backgrounds with the others.
For their strands, Eleanor used simple cotton cord and beads with large holes that would string easily.
Each child had the opportunity to make whatever he or she wanted. Eleanor asked the students to
choose a special bead with their teacher in mind, representing something they were grateful for that
happened during the year.
At the end of the session, the students got to talk about what they had done, and they were particularly
excited about the beads they chose for their teacher. The children gave the beads to Eleanor, and she
made prayer beads for the teacher that represented the children who had been in her care for that year.
Spiritual Leaders
When Eleanor went to India in
1998 for The Way of Peace
Retreat, she decided before
she left to make interfaith
prayer beads for Father
Lawrence, the founder of the
World Community for
Christian Meditation, and for
His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
She made them out of
redraksha beads, the ones
most often used for Buddhist
malas; olive-wood beads from
an old Catholic rosary; antique
Muslim prayer beads from
Afghanistan; and crystal beads
from a rosary given to Eleanor
by her mother in 1957. For
amulets, Eleanor used a
Benedictine cross that she had
made in Bali for her Christian
meditation community and a California-jade stone carved with the root mantra of the Tibetan Buddhist
community.
Eleanor carried the beads with her to India, not knowing if she would have the opportunity to give them
to the leaders or not, but for Eleanor, that did not make too much difference.
******
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
28
1. What is especially helpful or interesting to you here?
2. How does this enrich your thinking or understanding of the use of beads in your spiritual
practices?
3. What ideas are coming to you now about using beads in this way in your own life?
4. What questions or concerns come to mind for you? What excites you?
Notes:
29
STATION #4 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Colours and Shapes
Colours
Whether or not you subscribe to any of the
traditional, religious, cultural, or folkloric
associations made to different colours, you no
doubt are attached more to certain colours than
others. Pay attention to your natural leanings.
The colours that attract you will be more healing,
comforting, and inspiring to you, no matter what
the guide below says. As with every aspect of
creating your own strand of prayer beads, the
elements that “speak” to you are responding to
the promptings of your soul. Listen to those
impulses – and honour them.
Here’s a general guide to cultural associations
with certain colours:
White. White symbolizes purity, which is why it is the traditional colour for most Western weddings. It
also represents initiation, and we see it frequently in rituals marking significant life passages. It is the
colour of the absolute, and of knowledge and pure light.
Yellow. Resembling the colour of the sun, yellow also represents light (and enlightenment), wisdom,
harvest (as in the colour of grain), and communication. In the Hindu system of mapping energy centres
known as chakras – Sanskrit for “wheels” or “disks” – yellow is associated with the third chakra, which
represents the will, intellect, action, and vitality. The colour of the precious metal gold, yellow
represents yang (masculine) energy.
Orange. Orange is the colour of happiness. Its energy stimulates the appetite and facilitates socializing,
which is why so many restaurants are decorated in orange hues. It is also associated with the second
chakra, represents sexuality and creativity.
Pink. The soft shades of pink represent love, including love of self.
Red. The stimulating tones of red activate energies, as red also represents fire and blood. This colour
suggests passion, power, life, and strength. Red is the colour associated with the first or root chakra.
Purple. The colour purple was originally derived from the dye of a shellfish known as porphyra. Since it
was so expensive to manufacture, the colour became associated with royalty and with clergy. Perhaps
because of these associations, purple also represents the sacred. Among the chakras, it is associated
with the seventh or “crown” chakra, which governs understanding, transcendence, and enlightenment.
Accordingly, purple is the colour of power, honour, and intuition.
Green. The soothing tones of green represent balancing and healing energies. It is a colour of hope,
growth, and rebirth, and because it appears so often in nature, it also suggests abundance. Green is
associated with the fourth chakra, known as the “heart” chakra – and thus also represents love.
Blue. The colour of the sky and sea, blue especially invites relaxation and meditation. Its cool hues
soothe the spirit. Some believe blue also has protective powers. Associated with the sixth chakra, blue
or indigo represents imagination, visualization, and clairvoyance. Blue also signifies Divine truth.
30
Brown. Another colour found in nature, brown represents the earth, dirt, and autumn – the cycle of life.
In the late Middle Ages brown also suggested the erotic in lyrical songs and poetry.
Gray. As it blends black and white, gray represents the middle way. Its inherently balanced nature
associates readily with mediation; gray is the colour that represents justice.
Black. The darkness of black suggests introspection; it symbolizes night, death, and ultimate Mystery.
Like the colour white, it can represent the absolute. In China, it is considered the colour of yin (feminine)
energy.
Shapes
Choosing shapes that either interest you or have symbolic significance to you will also contribute
meaning to your prayer beads. Here are some common shapes and their familiar representations:
Circle. The circle represents wholeness and perfection, such as that of heaven. Its perfection also
suggests unity.
Crescent. In Islam, the crescent represents opening and victory over death. In other cultures, it is
associated with the female, with pregnancy and birth.
Cross. In addition to its well-known use in Christianity, the cross represents the horizontal and vertical
intersection of heaven and earth, active and passive energies, or a crossroads in life.
Disk. The disk is a symbol of the sun; in China, it represents heavenly perfection.
Spiral. The spiral represents growth and evolution. Its ascending circles recall cycles of development and
creativity. It also is associated with the phases of the moon and thus with fertility.
Square. The square, with its four sides, suggests stability, security, and solidity. It is the symbol of the
earth and of order and integration.
Star. The star represents cosmic order,
as its place in the heavens might suggest.
Stars offer guiding light in darkness, as
well as suggest constancy.
Triangle. This powerful shape is thought
to symbolize the light of God. The triangle
represents not only the Christian Trinity
but also other triads, such as maidenmother-crone or right thought-right
speech-right action. In some cultures, the
triangle symbolizes the female and
fertility.
Wheel. The wheel, so significant in the
Buddhist tradition, symbolizes life.
Implying change and movement, the wheel is associated with the process of becoming and with rebirth.
******
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
31
1. What resonates with your own experience or what you have noticed in others?
2. Which elements are especially meaningful for you? If you were to make prayer beads today (and
many of you will), which of these elements may you select in your strand? Why?
3. Analyze the prayer beads in front of you (photo or objects). What meaning might these have had
for the maker or the user?
4. What excites you in thinking about these elements?
5. What questions come to mind for you?
Notes:
32
STATION #5 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Stones and Other Materials
Stones
There has been a lot of interest in
what stones “mean.” Those
power bracelets of hematite, rose
quartz, turquoise, and other
single-stone beads so popular in
the late nineties got a lot of
attention because each kind of
stone promised the wearer
something specific, such as relief
from depression, a better love
life, and good health,
respectively. Again, their meaning
to you is all that’s important,
whether it’s the stone’s symbolic
properties, its colour, or just its
shape and feel. For those who are
curious, here are some popular
stones made into beads, and
what each is associated with in
ancient and modern folklore.
Amber. In China, amber was
considered to be the soul of a tiger, so it could both enhance one’s courage and serve as protective
energy. Some use it for balance; others think it’s congealed light. Amber is also said to promote
magnetism.
Amethyst. Considered a gem of healing, amethyst signifies gentleness, humility, peace of mind, and
piety. It’s a good stone to wear for sobriety and against addictions. Amethyst is said to control passion
and quicken the intellect.
Bloodstone. Bloodstone promotes understanding and peace; it is considered the granter of all wishes.
Bloodstone is believed to be a healing and transforming stone and is used to calm oneself and create
harmony in one’s surroundings.
Garnet. The ruby tones of the garnet earned it its name, which derives from the word pomegranate.
Because of this relationship, garnets are associated with the womb, with blood, and with the feminine.
Garnets also represent devotion, energy, loyalty, and grace. In Central America, the garnet symbolizes
the soul. Garnets are believed to bring prosperity and good fortune.
Hematite. Hematite is so highly regarded as a protector that Roman soldiers use to rub their bodies
with powdered hematite before going into battle. It is considered an agent for reducing stress and
depression and can deflect negative energy. It is a stone that represents rebirth.
Jade. Jade symbolizes virtue and excellence. Thought to represent the eternal, jade often adorned
burial vestments in order to ensure immortality. It is the stone of energy – associated with yang
(masculine) power. Jade also symbolizes beauty, clarity, and perfection.
33
Pearl. A symbol of perfection, the pearl is associated with the feminine principle and the moon. Pearls
symbolize chastity and purity; they also represent compassion and spiritual knowledge. Associated with
water because of where they are found, pearls can also represent the transformation of pain into
beauty (deriving as they are from a grain of sand within an oyster, which then secretes the material that
enfolds the irritant and eventually turns it into a pearl).
Rose Quartz. Known as the “love stone,” rose quartz symbolizes all forms of love, from self-love to
romance. It promotes kindness and compassion, and is said to decrease stress and to enhance one’s
appreciation of beauty.
Tiger’s Eye. Like the fierce animal that lends the stone its name, the tiger’s eye represents courage,
confidence, and energy. It is believed to be a stone of protection. Its light-catching stripes make it a
representative of light and dark, as well as of change and growth. Tiger’s eye is also associated with
creativity.
Turquoise. Considered sacred by Native Americans, turquoise is a healing and balancing stone that also
serves as protection. It is said to amplify courage and to help bring forward one’s voice. It is a stone that
symbolizes fulfillment and success.
Other Materials
Bone. Both animal and human bone
remind the user of impermanence. Using
beads made from animal bone can also
invoke the spirit or spiritual qualities of
that particular animal.
Clay. Using beads make of clay can add a
“grounding” component to one’s prayer
beads, as clay comes from the earth.
Because of this origin, clay represents life
itself, as well as the feminine.
Glass. Because of the transparent nature
of glass, glass beads can symbolize clarity
and light.
Gold or silver. Metal beads have different
associations according to the type of
metal used; gold generally represents the
sun, and silver, the moon.
Knots. Egyptians considered knots symbols of immortality, and Muslims consider knots protective. In
Buddhism, the endless knot is an important symbol of longevity and good luck. Knots can be used as a
symbol of anything we are bonded to, such as a marriage.
Nuts. Nuts can symbolize humanity; the kernel or sweetmeat inside represents our soul. Beads are
sometimes carved out of nuts, though often nuts are used unembellished.
Seeds. Seeds represent life and the abundance of possibilities for that life, including the possibility of
rebirth.
34
Shells. Shells represent the life force and the feminine, since some shells resemble female genitalia.
Cowrie shells in particular make connections to feminine energies.
Wood. Wood, one of the five Chinese elements, represents spring. Wood symbolizes matter, energy,
the sacred cycles of life, and Mother Earth. Many malas are made out of sandalwood, a fragrant
material with a scent believed to inspire compassion and spiritual insight. And many Christian rosaries
are made from olive wood hailing from Jerusalem.
******
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
1. What resonates with your own experience or what you have noticed in others?
2. Which elements are especially meaningful for you? If you were to make prayer beads today (and
many of you will), which of these elements may you select in your strand? Why?
3. Analyze the prayer beads in front of you (photo or objects). What meaning might these have had
for the maker or the user?
4. What excites you in thinking about these elements?
5. What questions come to mind for you?
Notes:
35
STATION #6 – Elements of Prayer Beads: Amulets, Charms, and Numbers
Amulets and Charms
Though we sometimes use the words “charm” and “amulet”
interchangeably, charms are simply metal depictions of symbols
that have significance to you, while amulets may or may not be
representations of actual things and could be made of an organic
material such as shell or stone.
Although it is not necessary to add amulets or charms to your
prayer beads – except for the cross found on the Christian rosary,
amulets are not included on the prayer beads of most religious
traditions – small objects can help you focus your prayers.
Counting pieces such as a large “guru” bead or marker are usually
included in traditional prayer beads; your amulets or charms can
serve the same functions (or new ones, of significance to you). The
important thing is to make your prayer-bead piece something that
integrates easily into your life.
Here are some charms and their common meanings. See if any of them might nourish your prayer focus.
Anchor. In Christian symbology, the anchor represents hope, fidelity, and steadfastness.
Arrow. Both Hinduism and Buddhism consider the sacred sound “OM” an arrow that pierces ignorance
and helps one to reach enlightenment. Arrows also “point the way” to the next steps on our path.
Bell. Bells protect against evil spirits and call us to prayer. As such, they represent the connection
between heaven and earth.
Egg. An obvious fertility symbol, the egg also represents possibilities, perfection, life, and resurrection.
Key. In Japan, key charms are a symbol of good luck; in other cultures, they represent access to the
Mystery – the tool that unlocks the door to spiritual realms and the treasure within.
Leaves. In Asian countries, leaves represent happiness and well-being. They also symbolize the cycles of
life and of nature, of renewal and hope.
Scarab. Considered sacred in ancient Egypt, the scarab beetle is a symbol of resurrection, wisdom, and
power.
Numbers
Using numbers mindfully when creating prayer beads can also intensify meaning. All religions that
employ counting prayer beads use a set number of beads to represent particular theological
considerations – the 150 Psalms, as with the Christian rosary; or the ninety-nine names of Allah, as with
Muslim prayer beads. Knowing something about what particular numbers represent in different cultures
can add meaning to your prayer piece as you count your beads onto their string.
One. A single bead can symbolize the sun, a seed, or the Divine spark. It can also symbolize God,
individuality, or oneness with life. In some cultures, it also represents courage.
36
Two. Two beads together can represent anything that involves relationship, such as marriage or
motherhood. It also can symbolize cooperation – the balance of yin and yang, for example – and the
moon, which waxes and wanes.
Three. Three is a powerful number, representing manifestation. A triangle has three sides, and, as a
sturdy trinity, represents the sacred. It can be a symbol of wholeness (mind-body-spirit), completion
(beginning-middle-end), creativity, and joy.
Four. Four is the number of sides of a square, so it represents solidity, will, and discipline. It also
represents the earth, and is the number for several important symbols of wholeness, such as the four
directions, the four elements, the four stages of life (childhood, youth, adulthood, old age), the four
seasons, and the four Evangelists.
Five. Five numbers the points of a star, and as a result suggests both the star and its corresponding
shape, the head, two arms, and two legs of a human being. It also can refer to the five senses, or to the
five fingers on each hand. It is a number of learning, communication, and freedom.
Six. Six is a healing number, and is considered the number both of creation (as God created the earth in
six days) and of perfection. It also symbolizes beauty, pregnancy, and responsibility. In China, six is
associated with the influences of heaven.
Seven. Seven is a sacred
number, considered the
most spiritual. It is the
number of perfect order
and completion. The
world was completed in
seven days. There are
seven energy chakras. It
is a number that signifies
inner wisdom and
spiritual strength.
Eight. Eight signifies
strength and energy and
authority. It also
represents abundance.
Turned on its side, the
numeral 8 becomes the
symbol for infinity.
Nine. Nine generally
represents completeness
and the end of a cycle. It
is also a number that
signifies action and
service.
Ten. The number 10 represents accomplishment, as in something that has been completed and
perfected. It is a number of transformation and totality. Moses was given Ten Commandments.
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Eleven. Eleven represents a higher level of understanding, intuition, and metaphysical abilities. It is also
the number of new beginnings, as it follows the completion number of 10.
Twelve. Twelve, as it is the number of signs found in the zodiac, is the number of cosmic order and
perfection. Christ had twelve disciples; there are twelve months in a year.
*****
Questions for contemplation and discussion:
1. What resonates with your own experience or what you have noticed in others?
2. Which elements are especially meaningful for you? If you were to make prayer beads today (and
many of you will), which of these elements may you select in your strand? Why?
3. Analyze the prayer beads in front of you (photo or objects). What meaning might these have had
for the maker or the user?
4. What excites you in thinking about these elements?
5. What questions come to mind for you?
Notes:
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Prayers
As you will discover working with beads, there is a natural rhythm in touching each bead in a strand
while reciting a prayer. While every faith path that incorporates prayer beads has its own traditional
prayers, any prayer can be used in conjunction with prayer beads. Experiment with these that follow, or
write your own. Each prayer offered here is simply a place to begin.
Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all
The realities and varieties of existence,
The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power –
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
- Sanskrit proverb
Christ has no body now on earth but ours,
Ours are the only hands with which he can do his work.
Ours are the only feet with which he can go about the world.
Ours are the only eyes through which his compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world.
Christ has no body on earth now but ours.
- Adapted from a prayer of St. Teresa of Avila
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me show love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
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And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
- St. Francis of Assisi
From the cowardice that dare not face new truth.
From the laziness that is contented with half truth
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, deliver me.
- Kenyan prayer
Let me seek you in my desire,
Let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you my loving you
Let me love you when I find you.
- St. Anselm
If anyone has hurt me or harmed me knowingly or unknowingly in thought, word or dee, I freely forgive
them. And I too ask forgiveness if I have hurt anyone or harmed anyone knowingly or unknowingly in
thought, word, or deed.
May I be happy
May I be peaceful
May I be free
May my friends be happy
May my friends by peaceful
May my friends by free
May my enemies be happy
May my enemies be peaceful
May my enemies be free
May all things be happy
May all things be peaceful
May all things be free.
- Buddhist prayer
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Resources
Books
Aikman, Z. Susanne. A Primer: The Art of Native American Beadwork. Denver: Morning Flower Press,
1980.
Bigham, Elizabeth. African Beads. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Simon & Schuster,
1999.
Coles, Janet, and Robert Budwig. The Book of Beads: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to Beads and
Jewelry Making. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
Coles, Janet, and Robert Budwig. World Beads: An Exploration of Bead Traditions around the World.
New York: Ryland, Peters, and Small, 1997.
Elliott, Kristin, and Betty Kay Seibt. Holding Your Prayers in Your Hands. Denton, TX: Open Hands.
De Montfort, St. Louis Mary. The Secret of the Rosary. Bay Shore, MY: Montfort Fathers Publications,
1954.
Doerr, Nan Lewis, and Virginia Stem Owens. Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year.
Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.
Dubin, Lois Sherr. The History of Beads: From 30,000 B.C. to the Present. New York: Harry N. Abrams,
Inc. 1987.
Ellsworth, Wendy. Beading – the Creative Spirit: Find Your Sacred Center through the Art of Beadwork.
Woodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2009.
Erikson, Joan Mowat. The Universal Bead. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1993.
Hutson, Joan. Prayer with Sacred Beads. Liguori, MO: Liguori Publications, 2000.
Jargstrof. Sibylle. Ethnic Jewelry from Africa, Europe and Asia. Atglenk, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.,
2000.
Mascetti, Manuela Dunn, and Priya Hemenway. Prayer Beads. New York: Viking Compass/Penguin
Putnam, Inc., 2001.
Newman, Harold. An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry. New York: Thames and Hudson, Inc. 1981.
Pennington, M. Basil. Praying by Hand. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.
Vincent, Kristen E. A Bead and A Prayer. Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2013.
Vincent, Kristen E. and Max O. Vincent. Another Bead, Another Prayer. Nashville, TN: Upper Room
Books, 2014.
Wiley, Eleanor, and Maggie Oman Shannon. A String and a Prayer: How to Make and Use Prayer Beads.
Newburyport, MA: Red Wheel/Weiser, 2002.
Winston, Kimberly. Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads. Harrisonburg, PH:
Morehouse Publishing, 2008.
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Magazines
Canadian Publications
• Metal Clay Artists http://cre8tivefire.com/
• Needle Pulling Thread http://www.aneedlepullingthread.com/
Beads: The Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers
56489 El Dorado Drive
Yucca Valley, CA, USA 92284-4230
Beadwork
201 E. Fourth Street
Loveland, CO, USA 80537
E-mail: [email protected]
www.interweave.com
(Published bi-monthly.)
Ornament: The Art of Personal Adornment
Subscriptions: 800-888-8950
E-mail: [email protected]
Retail in Toronto
Arton Beads http://www.artonbeads.net/
Technically two stores side by side, Arton Beads is located at 523 and 525 Queen Street W. The 523 shop
supplies base metal findings, tools, stringing materials, and beads made of plastic and wood. They also
carry a variety of somewhat unrelated but totally fun materials like neon feathers. The 525 shop, on the
other hand, carries higher quality supplies including semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals, and silver
and gold findings. Both are incredibly affordable, especially if you've got a membership card.
Bling Bling
This jewellery supply store found at 448 Queen Street W has so much bling they had to name it twice.
Bling Bling's pride and glory is found in their hanging strings of glass beads and crystal materials - both of
which are nearly blinding... in a good way. They also sell findings and semi-precious stones, and although
the collection is not as impressive as others in the same neighbourhood, the store is worth a visit.
The Beadery http://www.thebeadery.ca/
The Beadery is a little unorganized and therefore slightly daunting, but they make up for it with a great
selection of quality imported gemstones, handmade glass, wood, and seeds all in bead form. They're
also one of the only jewellery supply stores that offer small classes for those looking to learn how to use
tools properly, in order to produce professional pieces.
Bead Girl
Walking into Bead Girl is somewhat reminiscent of a boutique experience. Located in Yonge and
Eglinton, the roomy and well-organized space carries a limited selection of beautiful semi-precious
stones, glass beads, and Swarovski crystals. Their assortment of findings is lacking, so it's safe to say
Bead Girl is only worth going to for the ornamental function of jewellery.
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Beadworks http://www.beadworksjo.com/
Located in the Beaches, Beadworks is another quaint and cluttered jewellery supply store with a large
variety of natural beads made of materials such as clay and seed. There's nothing overtly special sold
here, but they've got all your basic needs - and even some tools and books - complete with a bohemian
vibe.
Courage My Love http://www.blogto.com/fashion/couragemylove
Courage My Love in Kensington Market shouldn't be the first place to get jewellery supplies since the
selection is extremely limited, and the shop's main focus is the vintage clothing and accessories they're
known for. However, if you're in the middle of purchasing a pair of kick-ass cowboy boots, it's worth it to
throw in some leather string and hand-carved skull beads to match.
Artka (416.322.7832)
Artka is a bead supply store located on the upper floor of the Yonge and Eglinton centre doubling as a
pre-made jewellery and accessories shop. They carry mostly sparkly Swarovski crystals and semiprecious stones, and although their collection of findings is very limited and the prices a little high, Artka
is a great place to kill time when you're in the area.
Museums
Textile Museum
55 Centre Avenue (Dundas St. W & University Ave., St. Patrick subway)
Toronto, ON M5G 2H5
416-599-5321
www.textilemuseum.ca
The Bead Museum
5754 W. Glenn Drive
Glendale, AZ USA 95301
623-930-7395
The Bead Museum in DC
400 Seventh Street NW
Washington, D.C., USA 20004
202-624-4500
Websites
www.abeadnaprayer.wordpress.com
www.kimberlywinston.wordpress.com
www.prayerbedes.com
www.firemountaingems.com
Bead supplies.
www.goodybeads.com
Bead supplies.
www.prayerworksstudio.etsy.com
Prayer beads and kits for sale.
www.rosaryshop.com
Many supplies and good links available here.
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www.guidetobeadwork.com/localstores/
A directory of more than twelve hundred bead stores worldwide.
www.beadshows.com
Information about upcoming bead shows.
Recipe for Rose Beads
1 cup salt
1 cup rose petals, firmly packed
½ cup water
Oil paint (optional)
1. Heat salt and petals, mashing together. Stir in water and paint for desired colour, or leave
natural for a brown bead.
2. Reheat very low over an asbestos pad, stirring constantly until smooth.
3. Roll out to ¼-inch thickness. Cut and roll beads in the palm of your hand to desired shape until
they are smooth.
4. String beads on florist’s wire or waxed string fastened to a needle. Let beads dry in a dark place,
moving them occasionally to keep
from sticking.
5. When dry, make prayer beads as
desired.
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Credit
The History of Beads Presentation
Coles, Janet, and Robert Budwig. The Book of Beads: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to Beads and
Jewelry Making. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
Coles, Janet, and Robert Budwig. World Beads: An Exploration of Bead Traditions around the World.
New York: Ryland, Peters, and Small, 1997.
The Text
Large portions of the text for the learning sessions (Saturday) and liturgy (Sunday) are taken from the
book: A String and a Prayer: How to Make and Use Prayer Beads by Eleanor Wiley and Maggie
Oman Shannon (Boston: Red Wheel, 2002).
The Protestant prayer bead liturgies were taken from the following two sources:
Vincent, Kristen E. A Bead and A Prayer. Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2013.
Vincent, Kristen E. and Max O. Vincent. Another Bead, Another Prayer. Nashville, TN: Upper Room
Books, 2014.
The Weekend Design
The design for this Women’s Retreat is by Wilma Guzman, Jeanette Romkema, and Jen Smit.
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